Ithaca College vs. Penn State

Should I go to Ithaca College or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Ithaca College or Penn State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Ithaca College vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Ithaca College Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Ithaca College Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

 Ithaca College Penn State
Location Ithaca, NY University Park, PA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 5,054 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #163 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ithaca.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Ithaca College Penn State
Tuition (In State) $48,126 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $48,126 $35,946
Room & Board $15,934 $12,744
Avg Net Price $35,858 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $29,677 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 44%

Admission

 Ithaca College Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,446 85,784
Admitted 9,359 47,360
Acceptance Rate 75.2% 55.2%
Enrolled % 14% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/32 26/31
SAT Range 1203/1380 1210/1390
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Ithaca College Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Ithaca College Penn State
Graduation Rate 74% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $266 $277

Diversity

 Ithaca College Penn State
% Men 43% 53%
% Women 57% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 69%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

 Ithaca College Penn State
% In-State 39% 51%
% Out-of-State 57% 40%

Campus

 Ithaca College Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Ithaca College based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 5,054 students)

Ithaca College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ithaca College or Penn State?

  • Ithaca College is 162% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($48,126.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.9% higher at Ithaca College than Penn State Main Campus ($48,126.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Ithaca College ($26,747 vs. $35,858)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 25% lower than costs at Ithaca College ($12,744 vs. $15,934)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ithaca College than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ithaca College students is 194.8% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($29,677 vs. $10,066)

Ithaca College vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Ithaca College or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or Ithaca College .

  • Ithaca College has a higher acceptance rate (75.2%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Ithaca College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ithaca College or Penn State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Penn State and Ithaca College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Ithaca College (87% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Ithaca College earn on average $800 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($56,100 vs. $55,300)
  • Ithaca College students graduate with a $1,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($25,750 vs. $26,818)
  • Ithaca College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($266 vs. $277)
  • More Ithaca College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/